Nigerian Primate Says GAFCON Exists Because Some Anglican Leaders Have Rejected Authority of BibleDivisions are deepening and will not be healed by the techniques of the corporate world, he saysWhere there is no repentance, there must be realignment

GAFCON chairman and Nigerian Primate Nicholas Okoh says the GAFCON movement came into being nearly ten years ago because godly leaders recognized that the Anglican Communion was being divided by leaders who rejected the authority of the Bible, denied the uniqueness of Jesus and promoted patterns of life which defy Scripture and reject the pattern of creation.

"These divisions are deepening and will not be healed by the techniques of the corporate world. They are spiritual problems which need spiritual solutions and the first step is repentance, which requires that the unchanging truth of God's Word is clearly taught and acted upon."

"Where there is no repentance, there must be realignment. This involves new jurisdictions coming into being where necessary, such as the Anglican Church in North America, and changing patterns of relationship, both within and beyond the GAFCON movement."

The Nigerian primate pointed to the recent decision of the Provincial Synod of South East Asia to both declare itself in broken fellowship with the Scottish Episcopal Church in the light of its adoption of same sex 'marriage' and to recognize the Anglican Church in North America as a full Anglican Province.

"As this realignment proceeds, how can orthodox Anglicans live together as a global fellowship which truly expresses the wonderful unity in diversity of being the household of God? While the traditional global institutions have clearly failed to maintain the integrity and unity of Anglican witness, our five yearly global conferences have been inspirational experiences and we have a Primates Council to provide spiritual leadership."

Okoh said the cultural diversity of the Anglican Communion is not itself a problem and has only become a problem because some have substituted the morality of their secular culture for biblical morality.

"When Anglicans come together as the global 'household of God' in a shared commitment to the unchanging gospel, which for us is set out in the Jerusalem Statement and Declaration, we can help and guide one another in the task of fashioning a faithful witness which is appropriate to our settings without being compromised."